COVID-19: Saudis warned against home barbers
Last month, Saudi shut down barber shops, beauty salons as a precautionary step
Cairo: Saudi health authorities have warned against recruiting the service of home barbers as the kingdom is striving to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. A total of 2,370 virus infections including 29 deaths have been registered so far in Saudi Arabia.
The Health Ministry has warned in text messaging that a visit by a barber or a hair stylist to residents' houses can transmit the infection of the potentially fatal ailment, Saudi newspaper Okaz reported Sunday.
"The barber or the coiffeur who comes to the house is not known in terms of cleanliness or personal behaviour," Health Ministry spokesman Dr Mohammad Al Abdu Al Ali said. "He could have visited 10 persons earlier. Of course, he does this furtively," he added.
In mid-March, Saudi authorities closed down barber shops and women's beauty parlours as part of a string of precautions against Covid-19 including a night-time curfew.
Over the past few days, authorities have arrested some violators of the ban.